1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention generally relates to side airbags, and more particularly relates to a side airbag connector assembly for use in an automotive seat using a chute to direct the airbag during deployment thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known in the prior art of automotive vehicles to provide an airbag assembly for protection of a vehicle occupant. These prior art airbag assemblies typically are deployed from in front of a person or from a seat or roof line of an automotive vehicle. The airbag generally includes an inflatable cushion structure in communication with a gas emitting inflator. When predetermined vehicle conditions occur, an airbag cushion is deployed outwardly from its stored position in a dashboard, roof, or seat into a position between the occupant and the interior portions of a vehicle against which the occupant might otherwise come in contact with. The use of the airbag cushion between the occupant and interior portions of the vehicle may provide a cushioning effect for the occupant against hard impacts with the interior portions of the vehicle.
Many prior art airbag systems for use in motor vehicles may have an airbag arranged within a seat. This airbag may deploy generally through a sewn seam in a cover material of the seat. Many of these prior art seat side airbags penetrate the seat cover by tearing open the sewn seam in the seat cover. Some of these prior art systems also include a chute that will help guide the airbag during deployment through the seam of the seat cover. However, there have been problems in the prior art with such systems such as but not limited to ballooning of the seat cover occurring prior to failure of the seam, an increased amount of time required for the airbag to exit the seat, and the airbag deploying in a position that does not properly place the airbag between the individual and the interior surfaces of the vehicle. Furthermore, there also have been problems with prior art seat side airbag assemblies in verifying that the seat side airbag assembly is properly arranged within the seat. However, many of these prior art seat side airbag assemblies have generally been used for protection of occupants, and are especially useful in protection against head and torso injuries.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved connector assembly for use in a seat side airbag module. There also is a need in the art for an improved connector assembly for use with an airbag chute and a tearable seam in a vehicle seat. There also is a need in the art for a continuous tearable seam used in conjunction with a side airbag chute having a connector assembly according to the present invention. There also is a need in the art for a side airbag that deploys quicker than prior art versions and deploys in a predetermined position from the seat during every deployment thereof.